Dennis Fisher

A newly discovered flaw in the way that Internet Explorer handles Web site cookies could enable an attacker to view and edit a users personal data contained in the cookies. The vulnerability affects all versions of IE, but is mitigated by several factors, according to a bulletin released Thursday by Microsoft Corp. Under normal operation, […]

SAN FRANCISCO — A former government lawyer on Wednesday said some federal regulation of computer security is inevitable if vendors and security researchers dont do a better job of policing themselves. That prospect is a frightening one for vendors and security experts who remember the battles in the late 1980s and 1990s over governmental regulation […]

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.–Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday outlined a broad framework for building trust in software that company officials hope will help improve the security and privacy of the worlds computer systems. The plan, a comprehensive initiative conceived by Microsoft as a way to assess the security and privacy features of computer systems, was unveiled by […]

Traditionally, managed security offerings have amounted to little more than a managed firewall or VPN. But as companies in all industries demand a wider variety of more useful and innovative services as a way to cut costs and improve security, outsourcers are beginning to respond. Vendors such as Foundstone Inc., Aventail Corp. and Ubizen Inc. […]

A Silicon Valley startup on Monday will unveil new fingerprint-scanning technology that company officials say is far cheaper and more reliable than traditional scanning devices. Fidelica Microsystems Inc. has developed a unique sensor that measures the difference in pressure between the ridges and valleys of a fingerprint. Traditional fingerprint-scanning devices use a light source to […]

The number of Web sites offering pirated software has more than doubled in the last year, according to a new study, and will likely continue to climb. There are now an estimated 5,400 sites containing pirated software–known as “warez” in the Internet underground–representing more than 800,000 individual Web pages, according to a study done by […]

A new variant of the Nimda worm is on the loose on the Internet, but anti-virus experts say that it is unlikely to even approach the level of infection achieved by the original version. Known as PE_Nimda.E, the new worm is quite similar to the one that wreaked havoc on Web servers and desktop PCs […]

As it struggles to improve its reputation in the security community with sweeping internal and external initiatives, Microsoft Corp. is still trying to get the small things right. A patch Microsoft issued two weeks ago had to be removed from its security Web site last week after it was discovered that the fix caused systems […]

The ever-growing size and complexity of enterprise networks has greatly complicated the administrators task of keeping intruders out while allowing authorized users in. But new access management products from IBM and Camelot IT Ltd. aim to ease that burden. IBMs Tivoli Systems Inc. unit is using the release of its Identity Director product this week […]

Hewlett-Packard Co. on Monday expanded its security practice to include a wider variety of services that company officials hope will help it compete with the legions of other practitioners in this market. The HP Global Security Consulting Practice will now offer services such as security strategy and policy development, risk and vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, […]

Playing on peoples sympathies for the victims of the recent terrorist attacks, a new Trojan horse program is attempting to steal credit card data. Masquerading as a donation form for the American Red Crosss disaster relief efforts, the program, known as Septer.troj, arrives via e-mail. Once users enter their information into the form, the Trojan […]

DaimlerChrysler AG on Thursday became the first auto maker to commit to using Bluetooth technology in its telematics service. The German companys Chrysler Group next year will roll out a system that enables consumers to use their existing wireless phone to connect to a Bluetooth-based network inside the vehicle. Some services will also be available […]